Trust Me
by abstractwhisk
Summary: Set after Shades of Gray. [Slash] Jack!Daniel You have to start trusting me again. Daniel doesn't want to.


**A/N: This one is set after the episode Shades of Gray. Daniel is still feeling betrayed. The usual disclaimer. **

The last person Daniel had expected to see when he answered the door was Jack. Yet there he was, looking slightly uncomfortable, and holding a bottle of wine. Daniel forwent the hellos, instead gesturing to the bottle with a raised eyebrow.

"Wine?" he asked, and Jack shrugged.

"You don't like beer. Can I come in?" Daniel couldn't refuse him, he'd come bearing wine after all, but even so he wasn't exactly pleased. He stood aside, and let the other man step in. The other man who'd lied to him, who'd left Daniel sure his heart was bleeding out on the floor, because it was that same man he'd counted as a friend. A friend until those aspirations were crushed that terrible day. In the end Jack had apologized- he really couldn't have told them- and Daniel could see where he was coming from, but that didn't stop the pain from the lies.

Of course he had smiled it off after the initial shock had set in. He'd told him about drawing straws, to break his cockiness and the tension that surrounded it all. What else was he supposed to have done?

Jack was in the kitchen, already pouring the sparkling wine into two glasses that he'd pulled out from one of the cabinets. Perhaps it was natural intuition that had told him where they were, or maybe Daniel had dawdled by the door longer than he had imagined. Either way, Jack was handing him a glass, and skillfully avoiding his eyes.

"A toast?" Daniel asked, before raising the wine to his lips, and at Jack's brief nod (his eyebrows drawn up all the same, like they usually did when he was confused), he continued, "To trust."

He said it lightly, but even so he saw the flicker of recognition- of realization- in the other man's eyes. He was no longer trusted. Daniel felt a grim satisfaction, as this insight settled on Jack's face. Of course he had known that Daniel was upset, but apparently had no idea it went so far as distrust.

Daniel was in control of the situation though, and he preferred to keep the issues unspoken. Instead he just smiled blandly at the still awe-struck Jack, and took a sip of his wine. He closed his eyes for a moment, savoring the taste- Jack had obviously splurged for a more expensive kind- and when he opened them again, the other man was in the middle of gulping his own down.

Stifling a sigh, Daniel walked around the island, and sat down on the sofa. Jack followed his lead, obviously uncomfortable and unsure how to proceed. Daniel hoped he was regretting coming, but he made no move to encourage him to leave. How he wished that the events of the last week and a half had never occurred. He wished that he could simply have his friend back. Jack noticed the soft turn in Daniel's eyes, as he thought this, and he gave a slightly nervous smile.

"So how've you been?" He asked. Daniel gave himself a mental shake, and the previous distance in his eyes returned. He reminded himself firmly of how Jack had lied, of how he'd betrayed their friendship. This was no longer the kind of man he could trust- with his friendship or his life. It was better to make Jack feel a tiny bit of the discomfort that he'd forced upon him during his little…mission.

"Fine," he replied after a moment, "I've been- good actually." His voice betrayed little emotion as he spoke. Jack shifted uncomfortably, no doubt realizing how little the two of them had talked, and how little Daniel seemed to care. He wasn't one to be intimidated that easily though.

"Good," he said, "Look, Daniel, I know I should have…I mean, I'm sorry I…" he trailed off; looking up as though he expected Daniel to rush in and tell him an apology wasn't necessary. Needless to say, he was disappointed. Clearing his throat, he began again.

"I know you did a hell of a lot of work that was pointless because of me, and that you're angry I didn't tell you anythi-"

"You think that's what this is about?" Daniel asked finally, setting down his glass and rising, beginning to pace, "Me being…mad? Because you followed orders- completed the mission? I'm glad you caught them, but that's not it Jack. I trusted you. You're more than the leader of SG1, you're my friend. I trust you with my life everyday, nearly, and I'd really thought we had something going there. You- Dammit Jack, You've messed everything up! I don't know if I can trust you here and now, let alone out in the field."

Jack had remained seated during Daniel's tirade, but just then he rose and spoke out.

"We go out every damn day with the weight of our shoulders, quite literally resting on our shoulders. People depend on me- people _trust_ me- with their lives, Daniel. You think I don't know that? You think I don't know that every time we step through that gate _you _trust me? Because of one mission you think I don't have your six?" He was nearly yelling by this point. He stared Daniel in the eye, and the other man held his gaze.

"I think," Daniel said slowly and calmly, "that we have a lot of ground to get back." He sat down again, and Jack followed suit. There was silence for a couple minutes, and they both drank their wine, avoiding each other's gaze. Finally Jack drained his glass, and set it down before looking at Daniel determinedly.

"Well, let's get started then," he said, and Daniel cocked an eyebrow.

"What?" he asked, and noted how Jack wetted his lips before speaking again.

"You have to start trusting me again," he said, and Daniel's mind reeled. How exactly did Jack expect him to do that- here and now? Was he even willing to? He began to panic slightly, as he realized he was no longer in control that the tables had turned. Jack was getting closer, and Daniel tried to backpedal.

"I don't think-" he began, but Jack, still closer, interrupted.

"Trust me," he breathed, and pressed his lips to Daniel's.

Just for that, Daniel couldn't help but obey.


End file.
